Maine Tri-State Conference

Iím thrilled to be here with you today. And Iím delighted to be back in New England.

On behalf of Secretary LaHood and Peter Rogoff, I want to thank all of you for your hard work, your expertise, and your leadership in transportation.

We recognize that the last several months have been enormously challenging for you.

Youíre wrestling not only with tight budgets, but with Mother Nature, as well.

Hurricane Irene clearly hit much of New England hard in August.

Thatís why Secretary LaHood rushed to release millions of dollars in emergency funds to help repair roads, bridges, and other transportation necessities, especially in Vermont, where the damage was greatest.

I hope your states will be made whole again, as quickly as possible.

In light of all thatís happened, youíll be pleased to hear that the Obama Administration supports the creation of an Emergency Relief Program with sufficient funds to quickly restore transit operations in the wake of a disaster.

This new program would fund the evacuation costs and temporary operating expenses of transit agencies during and after a disaster. We hope that when Congress finally passes a new surface reauthorization bill, this provision will be included. Itís a very important part of strengthening the safety net for transit agencies.

After all, the weather in New England is famously changeableóand as transit operators, you need to be able to respond and recover as soon as possible when disaster strikes.

Speaking of recovery, our primary focus in Washington right now is on economic recovery.

I know you read a lot of doom and gloom in the newspapers.

But the fact is, FTA has so far been able to hold its own.

President Obama understands that investing in transportation is essential to creating jobs, improving access to jobs, and helping us stay competitive with the rest of the world.

In this fiscal year alone, FTA has managed to sustain core funding levels and to continue some important and innovative new initiatives that improve the quality of life and spur economic activity in our communitiesóurban, suburban, and rural.

For example, weíre making $750 million dollars available this year to help bring our buses and bus facilities into a state of good repair, known as SGR. This is one of our highest priorities at FTA, and New Englandís transit agencies stand to benefit from a portion of that investment.

Now more than ever, your riders need to be able to count on a safe, reliable ride to work, to school, to medical care.

At the same time, FTA is working to help you bring your vehicles and facilities into a state of good repair as a way to reduce ongoing maintenance costs, improve fuel efficiency, and get a better handle on your asset management needs going forward.

Last year, our SGR funds helped Chittenden County Transportation in Vermont, for example, to make much-needed upgrades to an aging bus fleet.

Weíre also awarding $150 million to ensure that transit buses are a centerpiece of our livability initiative.

This is all about improving mobility and access to jobs and vital services, encouraging more affordable housing near transit hubs, and better coordinating transportation, housing, and commercial investments.

All priorities for New England communities.

And weíre providing a total of nearly $100 million through our Clean Fuels and TIGGER programs to help the transit industry become innovators in clean energy. This in turn means cleaner air and less dependence on costly oil.

Now, we know full well that maintaining this momentum will not be easy in todayís political climate.

We know that youíre deeply concerned about the impact that shrinking state and local budgets have already hadóand will continue to haveóon your ability to provide a local funding match.

Thatís why we think itís vitally important for Congress to pass the Presidentís American Jobs Act as soon as possible.

The Presidentís goal is to put more money in the pockets of working Americans, as we rebuild our roads, bridges, airports, schools, and of course, transit systems.

Second, a National Infrastructure Bank, with $10 billion in upfront loan funding for a wide range of critical projects in transportation, water, and energy.

And third, the package directs federal departments and agencies to identify high impact, job-creating infrastructure projects so we can fast-track them through the review and permitting process.

We know there are good projects all across this country just waiting to get started, including right here in Maine.

And we know there are millions of unemployed construction workers looking for jobs.

Thatís why the American Jobs Act assigns more funding to DOTó$50 billionóthan any other federal department.

A significant slice of that will help to buy new buses and rolling stock, and much-needed repairs for existing rail and bus systems, in urban, suburban, and rural areas around the country.

Thereís also $5 billion for jobs on projects selected through a scaled-up TIGER program.

One other bit of welcome news: Up to 10 percent of the transit funds in this package could be used for operating assistance, which our recipients need in these tough times.

Now whatís all this go to do with transit needs in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont?

Plenty.

The Jobs Act would provide, among other things:

more than $3.5 million for rural transit in Maine,

$2.3 million for rural transit in New Hampshire, and

$1.7 million for rural transit in Vermont.

In addition, the Presidentís proposal, if fully funded, would provide nearly three-quarters of a million dollars to transit providers here in Portland, to bring buses and bus facilities into a state of good repair.

Congress needs to pass this legislation right away, and with good reason: Itís going to create the jobs that people need right now, while building the infrastructure this country needs need for years to come.

But the fact is, we canít make the American Jobs Act the law of the land without you.

In community after community, transformations are underway because of your tireless efforts Ė whether making your neighborhoods more livableÖ or your transit systems
more accessible.

We need you to bring that same commitment to this critical push for the American Jobs Act. We need you not just to join the cause, but to lead it.

If we come together Ė if we fight to break through the do-nothing status-quo Ė we can give the American people the transportation choices they demand and deserve.